After reading my first post, I thought I jumped the gun a little. I intended to do a quick intro of a new way of healthy eating and I presented it like this new diet I found. I think my problem comes with the word "diet". I have never been on a diet, nor had I ever thought I would follow one. I still don't want to put in the mental energy of considering this a diet. I simply consider it a healthier way of eating. I am not trying to lose weight, some are, and that is fine for them, but to imply that this is a "diet" in the practical sense seems disturbing to me when I also share the fact that my children are on this diet as well. But then I think of the facts- we are all on a diet in one form or another. Mine was previously the Standard American Diet (SAD) and it was chock full of thought, decision-making, and meal-planning and execution. This new diet, is full of the same processes with just different ingredients. I choose to cut out processed foods and inferior forms of nutrition as staples of my family diet.
Will I ever eat pasta or rice again? Yes, of course. I haven't had any in two and a half weeks, and I can honestly say I do not miss it yet. Am I feeding my children enough carbohydrates? I take special considerations for their diets and I trust my knowledge and research into the matter. It is not to be taken lightly, but I know that this is a definite improvement from the previous norm around here. I have always been conscious and dedicated to feeding them good food, but I know more now and I have to make educated decisions based on the new information I have. Yes, in part it has to do with nutrionism, but I also understand that the science behind nutrition is a relatively young science and information changes often. We don't have to look very hard into recent food history to see how the research changes. So for now, I see the basics of the Paleo way of eating to be the most closely related to my intuition of what wholesome food for my family is. I am not considering myself to be bonded to restrictions, I see it as being dedicated to healthy choices that allow my family to grow and thrive in the best way possible. This is my job, after all. I only have one chance.
Showing posts with label nourish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nourish. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Update and easy paleo recipe: Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Squash
Mmm... I've been enjoying all the food that comes along with healthier eating just as much as I have enjoyed the not so good for you foods that I was eating way too often. I probably spend way too much time looking for foods and recipes that I want to eat but I think it's time well spent because the payoff is worth it.
Quick update on this journey. It wasn't supposed to be a diet, per se, but it turned into weight loss! I knew that if I cut things out like my over indulgences in the comfort foods, I would feel better and not gain, but I didn't really know what "feeling better" meant, or that I would see results so quickly. I should have taken a before and after, I still haven't, and I didn't even think of weighing myself. I went to a doctor's appointment about a month and a half ago and I weighed 123 or 121 (I have a terrible memory, so let's just say it was 122!). So I weighed 122, which is about 6lbs more than I did before I had my 8 1/2 month old baby, and I was feeling like my love handles were bigger than ever. I didn't mind the extra curves, Erik was liking them more than ever (ha!), but I was starting to feel unproportioned- and that is what I was starting to hate. My double chin didn't really help me either, but I was just going along with it. I did start to cut my portions down a little before I even started eating cleaner, because at times I was eating as much as Erik and even found myself shoveling handfuls of food in my mouth, after dinner, while I was cleaning up the kitchen. Not a pretty sight. Anywho, so I went to the doctor on Saturday and they took my weight. I was 113! I couldn't believe it. I had been telling a few friends about how I noticed my love handles had shrunk considerably, and that I felt my stomach wasn't as big- but man, I was shocked. By no means am I starving myself, I eat a lot still, but I know it is because I am eating better. I do not want to lose more weight, I have never been focused on a number, but I don't want to be the skinny kid I was all my life before kids. I just want to feel proportioned and healthy! I sure am starting to feel that way. I now officially know what it means to have MORE ENERGY. It is such a difference to wake up in the morning and not feel exhausted still! I am going to stick to my clean eating and I'm sure I will feel better and better.
Posted a recipe on Instagram (follow me I'm @beekum) today and thought I'd share it here since a friend asked. Super easy and off the top of my head and it was still delicious!
Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Squash
Need:
pack of italian sausage - I chose sweet because I am paleo with children
bell peppers - any color will do
garlic
shallots or onion
olive or coconut oil
spaghetti squash
salt
pepper
garlic powder
Do:
For Sausage:: Grill, bake, or pan fry sausage. I didn't want to get the grill out so I pan fried my sausage. I cooked just enough to be able to slice through into pieces. I removed sausages and sliced them, meanwhile I added coconut oil and began sauteeing red bell peppers, shallots and garlic in same pan. Cook the bell peppers for a while to soften them enough, then add shallots and garlic for last few minutes. After the bell peppers, shallots and garlic have cooked for a bit, add the sliced sausages back in and cook on moderately high heat. I like mine to be a little crispy around the edges. Cook until desired crispy deliciousness is achieved!
For squash:: Preheat oven to 350. Slice spaghetti squash lengthwise, scoop out all seeds and mush like you would on a pumpkin. Place both halves face down on an oiled (with coconut oil or olive oil) baking sheet or in a baking pan works, too. Roast for about an hour or until cooked depending on the size of your squash. I added a few tablespoons of water about halfway through to get some steam action going. You can tell it is cooked when it looks kinda translucent and you can shred easily with a fork. Shred contents of squash into a bowl or pan. I shred into a bowl and added salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Done! If you wanted, you can do anything with this like stir fry it longer in a pan with desired ingredients- so versatile! Best served IMMEDIATELY, while still hot.
Then, throw your tasty meal onto a plate and devour until the cows come home. To get slaughtered. For tomorrow's steak.
Hope you like it!
Quick update on this journey. It wasn't supposed to be a diet, per se, but it turned into weight loss! I knew that if I cut things out like my over indulgences in the comfort foods, I would feel better and not gain, but I didn't really know what "feeling better" meant, or that I would see results so quickly. I should have taken a before and after, I still haven't, and I didn't even think of weighing myself. I went to a doctor's appointment about a month and a half ago and I weighed 123 or 121 (I have a terrible memory, so let's just say it was 122!). So I weighed 122, which is about 6lbs more than I did before I had my 8 1/2 month old baby, and I was feeling like my love handles were bigger than ever. I didn't mind the extra curves, Erik was liking them more than ever (ha!), but I was starting to feel unproportioned- and that is what I was starting to hate. My double chin didn't really help me either, but I was just going along with it. I did start to cut my portions down a little before I even started eating cleaner, because at times I was eating as much as Erik and even found myself shoveling handfuls of food in my mouth, after dinner, while I was cleaning up the kitchen. Not a pretty sight. Anywho, so I went to the doctor on Saturday and they took my weight. I was 113! I couldn't believe it. I had been telling a few friends about how I noticed my love handles had shrunk considerably, and that I felt my stomach wasn't as big- but man, I was shocked. By no means am I starving myself, I eat a lot still, but I know it is because I am eating better. I do not want to lose more weight, I have never been focused on a number, but I don't want to be the skinny kid I was all my life before kids. I just want to feel proportioned and healthy! I sure am starting to feel that way. I now officially know what it means to have MORE ENERGY. It is such a difference to wake up in the morning and not feel exhausted still! I am going to stick to my clean eating and I'm sure I will feel better and better.
Posted a recipe on Instagram (follow me I'm @beekum) today and thought I'd share it here since a friend asked. Super easy and off the top of my head and it was still delicious!
Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Squash
Need:
pack of italian sausage - I chose sweet because I am paleo with children
bell peppers - any color will do
garlic
shallots or onion
olive or coconut oil
spaghetti squash
salt
pepper
garlic powder
Do:
For Sausage:: Grill, bake, or pan fry sausage. I didn't want to get the grill out so I pan fried my sausage. I cooked just enough to be able to slice through into pieces. I removed sausages and sliced them, meanwhile I added coconut oil and began sauteeing red bell peppers, shallots and garlic in same pan. Cook the bell peppers for a while to soften them enough, then add shallots and garlic for last few minutes. After the bell peppers, shallots and garlic have cooked for a bit, add the sliced sausages back in and cook on moderately high heat. I like mine to be a little crispy around the edges. Cook until desired crispy deliciousness is achieved!
For squash:: Preheat oven to 350. Slice spaghetti squash lengthwise, scoop out all seeds and mush like you would on a pumpkin. Place both halves face down on an oiled (with coconut oil or olive oil) baking sheet or in a baking pan works, too. Roast for about an hour or until cooked depending on the size of your squash. I added a few tablespoons of water about halfway through to get some steam action going. You can tell it is cooked when it looks kinda translucent and you can shred easily with a fork. Shred contents of squash into a bowl or pan. I shred into a bowl and added salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Done! If you wanted, you can do anything with this like stir fry it longer in a pan with desired ingredients- so versatile! Best served IMMEDIATELY, while still hot.
Then, throw your tasty meal onto a plate and devour until the cows come home. To get slaughtered. For tomorrow's steak.
Hope you like it!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
paleo primal - best diet ever
"I'm on a diet," I said in an uncertain voice to a family member as she handed me the comically large serving spoon. The smell of the fresh homemade potato salad danced gracefully upon my olfactory receptors. I took my daughter's plate of leftover dried out hamburger meat, cut into toddler portions, and began to eat them. Eye on the prize, Rebecca, I told myself, eye on the prize. It's just potato salad. I mean, that was probably the first time I had ever turned down fresh potato salad, but I had to keep things in perspective. It was just one party, one day, one encounter. Was it really that hard? No. It was hard for about the four or five seconds I considered just having a little. But I did it.
Okay, so right off the bat you might be thinking this couldn't possibly turn into the "best diet ever" post I shouted from the rooftops last night. Yeah, that was me. No, I wasn't drunk. Don't let my prosaic intro set a dismal mood, however. Because we gotta be honest, any type of diet or lifestyle change, as this diet is often seen, always comes with some sort of change. I had to start somewhere, and that was my first public demonstration of my commitment to better health.
So what is this diet? It goes by a few names such as the Paleo diet, Paleolithic diet, Caveman diet, Primal diet, and a few others I'm sure. I refer to it as Paleo for both descriptive and comedic purposes. We crack a lot of jokes about it around here, that seems to be the way we deal with everything these days.
So, what are the basics? I will make this as simple as possible, because that is what attracted me to it. It is called the Paleo diet because it is supposed to closely mimic our hunter-gatherer ancestors. There is a whole slew of science related research to backup this premise, which I won't get into, but I will provide links to at the end of the post in case you are interested. I just don't have time to get into it myself. I am still reading a little every day though, and have been tweaking the diet to fit my needs, which I will also explain. Anyway, so the basic idea is to eat little to NO Processed Foods. That is what reeled me in. I am a big whole foods advocate by nature, but I found myself in the same place many people do, feeding my family more and more out of convenience. That will be another post in itself. In addition to the cutting of processed foods, we are cutting out Grains in every way shape or form. If you are cutting out processed foods, you end up cutting out a huge portion of grains you were consuming, almost without knowing it. Okay, so the basic foods are Meat and Fish, Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, eggs, and a few additions and exceptions. Some people include dairy, which I will in very small occasional amounts. Some also include legumes, but most agree that if you do, the cooking process needs special attention such as soaking and sprouting your beans. None of the canned, sodium filled, BPA exposed stuff you find in the store.
So, that's basically it. It is all about clean eating, really. I plan on writing about this new lifestyle change for my family. So far, I feel great, I have only had one slip up- but I am not taking on any negative thoughts when it comes to food. It is about providing myself and my loved ones with the BEST food I can. What can be negative about that? It is not as though I will never eat a bowl of pasta again, or that we will never have another pizza night movie party. We just will not make those things anything even close to a regular part of our diet.
Like I said, this is the best diet I have ever been on. Okay, it is the first, but it makes sense to me. I have been making great food, and so far, so good. Here are some examples of meals I've made, followed by pictures. There are dinners and snacks. The tiny portions are the kids plates. I eat a lot more than that. I will keep track of the recipes I make, too. Most of these are just off the top of my head or a slightly altered recipe I've made before to fit our needs.
*Wild Cod, steamed broccoli, and salad w/avocado and tomato
*Rolled fresh deli turkey with organic carrot stick
*All Natural italian sausage and peppers, and a spinach salad w/avocado, tomato and garlic olive oil dressing
*Six Vegetable chicken soup - with Green beans, red bell pepper, butternut squash, carrot, zucchini, and onion. I added some fresh cilantro and avocado on top. Free-Range chicken.
*Romaine salad w/ avocado, strawberry, cilantro, garlic olive oil dressing, and fresh turkey.
*Turkey roll up with fresh raspberries and strawberries
*All Natural Andouille sausage, tomato slices and brussel sprout chips
*Bacon, avocado, chicken wraps
*Chicken Pan roasted in white wine, garlic, and seasoning with zucchini, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus
*Breakfast berries - Blueberries, Raspberries, and Strawberries
-Not pictured- We've had lots of omelets and scrambles with a variety of veggies. Yesterday I made grilled steak with cauliflower mash, salad, roasted green beans, and a fried egg.
Here are some links to more information about this diet. I don't necessarily agree with every single thing these people talk about or do, but it is a good source of information on the basics and they give a lot links for further reading:
Why I Eat Paleo
The Beginner's Guide to the Paleo Diet
What Is the Paleo Diet?
Let me know what you think! I am still excited, and I am enjoying the food I'm making more than ever, because I know EXACTLY what I am eating and what I am feeding these precious loves of mine.
Okay, so right off the bat you might be thinking this couldn't possibly turn into the "best diet ever" post I shouted from the rooftops last night. Yeah, that was me. No, I wasn't drunk. Don't let my prosaic intro set a dismal mood, however. Because we gotta be honest, any type of diet or lifestyle change, as this diet is often seen, always comes with some sort of change. I had to start somewhere, and that was my first public demonstration of my commitment to better health.
So what is this diet? It goes by a few names such as the Paleo diet, Paleolithic diet, Caveman diet, Primal diet, and a few others I'm sure. I refer to it as Paleo for both descriptive and comedic purposes. We crack a lot of jokes about it around here, that seems to be the way we deal with everything these days.
So, what are the basics? I will make this as simple as possible, because that is what attracted me to it. It is called the Paleo diet because it is supposed to closely mimic our hunter-gatherer ancestors. There is a whole slew of science related research to backup this premise, which I won't get into, but I will provide links to at the end of the post in case you are interested. I just don't have time to get into it myself. I am still reading a little every day though, and have been tweaking the diet to fit my needs, which I will also explain. Anyway, so the basic idea is to eat little to NO Processed Foods. That is what reeled me in. I am a big whole foods advocate by nature, but I found myself in the same place many people do, feeding my family more and more out of convenience. That will be another post in itself. In addition to the cutting of processed foods, we are cutting out Grains in every way shape or form. If you are cutting out processed foods, you end up cutting out a huge portion of grains you were consuming, almost without knowing it. Okay, so the basic foods are Meat and Fish, Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, eggs, and a few additions and exceptions. Some people include dairy, which I will in very small occasional amounts. Some also include legumes, but most agree that if you do, the cooking process needs special attention such as soaking and sprouting your beans. None of the canned, sodium filled, BPA exposed stuff you find in the store.
So, that's basically it. It is all about clean eating, really. I plan on writing about this new lifestyle change for my family. So far, I feel great, I have only had one slip up- but I am not taking on any negative thoughts when it comes to food. It is about providing myself and my loved ones with the BEST food I can. What can be negative about that? It is not as though I will never eat a bowl of pasta again, or that we will never have another pizza night movie party. We just will not make those things anything even close to a regular part of our diet.
Like I said, this is the best diet I have ever been on. Okay, it is the first, but it makes sense to me. I have been making great food, and so far, so good. Here are some examples of meals I've made, followed by pictures. There are dinners and snacks. The tiny portions are the kids plates. I eat a lot more than that. I will keep track of the recipes I make, too. Most of these are just off the top of my head or a slightly altered recipe I've made before to fit our needs.
*Wild Cod, steamed broccoli, and salad w/avocado and tomato
*Rolled fresh deli turkey with organic carrot stick
*All Natural italian sausage and peppers, and a spinach salad w/avocado, tomato and garlic olive oil dressing
*Six Vegetable chicken soup - with Green beans, red bell pepper, butternut squash, carrot, zucchini, and onion. I added some fresh cilantro and avocado on top. Free-Range chicken.
*Romaine salad w/ avocado, strawberry, cilantro, garlic olive oil dressing, and fresh turkey.
*Turkey roll up with fresh raspberries and strawberries
*All Natural Andouille sausage, tomato slices and brussel sprout chips
*Bacon, avocado, chicken wraps
*Chicken Pan roasted in white wine, garlic, and seasoning with zucchini, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus
*Breakfast berries - Blueberries, Raspberries, and Strawberries
-Not pictured- We've had lots of omelets and scrambles with a variety of veggies. Yesterday I made grilled steak with cauliflower mash, salad, roasted green beans, and a fried egg.
Here are some links to more information about this diet. I don't necessarily agree with every single thing these people talk about or do, but it is a good source of information on the basics and they give a lot links for further reading:
Why I Eat Paleo
The Beginner's Guide to the Paleo Diet
What Is the Paleo Diet?
Let me know what you think! I am still excited, and I am enjoying the food I'm making more than ever, because I know EXACTLY what I am eating and what I am feeding these precious loves of mine.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
i'm starving
I am so hungry right now. Don't ask me why I think this is a good time to start a food post. All I know is I'm famished and it might not be an unreasonable assumption to think that I might just post anything that looks slightly edible. At this point, I may eat the baby.
Here are some great pinterest finds that I have tested myself! Yes, that means they are Rebecca approved. Booyah!
You can find all these and more by following me on Pinterest or just doing a little searching yourself!
Here are some great pinterest finds that I have tested myself! Yes, that means they are Rebecca approved. Booyah!
You can find all these and more by following me on Pinterest or just doing a little searching yourself!
Baked Ziti - This is definitely a family favorite. It tastes like Pizza!
Cilantro Lime Shrimp - Or Skrimps as we call em here! Dee-lish.
BBQ Comfort Meatballs - One of my little meatballs (I call her Luci) had been requesting meatballs for quite sometime so I made these for her and they came out so moist and delicious. How can anything with the word 'Comfort' in it be bad for you?
Okay, I had a few more to post but my stomach is eating itself. Time to go taste that Gouda I've been hiding in the back of the refrigerator.
Friday, May 18, 2012
mama magic
I wrote the post below a week ago, but didn't get around to posting it. Thought I would post it so it wouldn't go to waste.
I can't believe the weather. We just skipped right over spring weather and went straight to the heat. Yes, I know it will get even more hot as the weeks go on, but I must say I am disappointed in this sorry-excuse-for-a-spring-season weather. It makes me want to move even more. The days for going outside were so limited this year. If I want to take all the girls somewhere, or even just outside, I have to do it extra early. If we go out in the evening, we become mosquito dinner. Yikes. I guess this summer will be a lot of indoor activities, because I hate taking babies out into the heat.
I need a patio, stat. It would be nice to have breakfast and maybe even a late, bug repellant included dinner outside this summer. Don't get me wrong, I love picnics. That will be our go-to activity I'm sure. I still remember picnics with my mother. Amazing how she could pull out anything from a bag and it would taste wonderful, just because she handed it to me. I still have this vague memory of an authentic picnic basket, too. I wonder what happened to it. I need one. It adds a special bit of magic. I need to remember the magic I have, as a mother. I get so BUSY. I forget that no one will ever be able to uncover the simple beauty of moments for my children better than I can. So many children in this world don't get to experience the magic, so I have to be mindful of creating as many special moments as I can for my girls. Time goes by so quickly. My 7 yr old would probably start looking for her own apartment if given the chance. I need to focus on creating a little bit of childhood magic, every day. I will. I am.
I can't believe the weather. We just skipped right over spring weather and went straight to the heat. Yes, I know it will get even more hot as the weeks go on, but I must say I am disappointed in this sorry-excuse-for-a-spring-season weather. It makes me want to move even more. The days for going outside were so limited this year. If I want to take all the girls somewhere, or even just outside, I have to do it extra early. If we go out in the evening, we become mosquito dinner. Yikes. I guess this summer will be a lot of indoor activities, because I hate taking babies out into the heat.
I need a patio, stat. It would be nice to have breakfast and maybe even a late, bug repellant included dinner outside this summer. Don't get me wrong, I love picnics. That will be our go-to activity I'm sure. I still remember picnics with my mother. Amazing how she could pull out anything from a bag and it would taste wonderful, just because she handed it to me. I still have this vague memory of an authentic picnic basket, too. I wonder what happened to it. I need one. It adds a special bit of magic. I need to remember the magic I have, as a mother. I get so BUSY. I forget that no one will ever be able to uncover the simple beauty of moments for my children better than I can. So many children in this world don't get to experience the magic, so I have to be mindful of creating as many special moments as I can for my girls. Time goes by so quickly. My 7 yr old would probably start looking for her own apartment if given the chance. I need to focus on creating a little bit of childhood magic, every day. I will. I am.
Here are a few magical moments we had recently:
Another recent backyard picnic
Pretty food is tasty food
See, all gone!
Happy girl
A special weekday dinner
Even daddy can create little magical moments
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
recent pinterest finds
I try not to spend too much time on the site, because I will never get anything done. But here are a few of my most recent finds on Pinterest that have me motivated for inspired to do things and try new things.
Here is a super easy DIY Baby Blanket tutorial.
Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken - 4 ingredient recipe.
I have a dream of turning Emme's old room into half nursery/half crafting room for myself. Here is a nice one.
I thought this really cool DIY project would give me something to do with the glass jars I've been hoarding.
Tell me this Guacamole Grilled Cheese Sandwich isn't making you drool.
Some Valentine's Day Inspiration for the upcoming holiday. I know Luci will be expecting something fun.
That's it for now. I've got a lot to prepare this weekend because I know the baby isn't going to stay put for much longer. I will have a new baby in 3 weeks or less!!!!! Have a great weekend.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
things i like thursday: food edition
Happy Thursday everyone. I hope yours is going well. Mine started off a little painfully. Looks like the typical pregnancy leg cramps have arrived. Why they decided to show up at 1am is beside me. Thank you, Mother Nature, for that rude awakening. Literally. Today I'm going to write about a few things I like when it comes to food. I love food. I seem to have a problem with it lately, because my mouth takes in far more than my brain knows I should. Regardless of that, I am going to share a few of my most recently used recipes and one I'd like to try in the near future. These have all been tested by yours truly, and I know food. Trust me.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
what they ate: vol 3
My kids have a favorite go-to phrase around here, and it is "I'm hungry". Now, before you call CPS because you think I might not be feeding them enough, give me a chance to explain. Ever since Luciana could speak, the second her eyes would open in the morning she would say, "I'm hungry". I am not joking when I say the second they opened. I think she might have even said it before they opened on one or two occasions. I used to have to sleep with a sandwich bag of dry cheerios she could snack on in the early morning hours so I could get an extra hour of sleep. Yes, this was back when I had one child and twice as much sleep as I get now. Now, Emme, in true follower fashion, utters this phrase at every stagnant moment. It's like her "filler". If it gets too quiet, "Mama, I'm hungry". If she is sitting in one place for more than five minutes, "Mama, I'm hungry". And of course the baby walks right in the kitchen, points at the pantry (where I keep the cookies) and grunts her desires to me. So, I try to keep snacks and meals interesting. And of course, healthy and filling and all that CPS friendly stuff. I find that if they enjoy the meal more, they stay satisfied longer. Not just because they are eating more, but because they are paying attention and it seems to affect their satiety. Go ahead, google it, no one else can see you.
This week I have been a little busywatching Mad Men doing a lot of important tasks around the house so I have two simple meals with the same ingredients. I have been getting into the Halloween spirit around here (no mom, not with seances or Ouija boards), so I decided to make it a Halloween themed lunch.
So, that is it for this week. If you excuse me I have more important tasks I must attend to. Queue Mad Men!
This week I have been a little busy
Meal 1
"Jack O'Lantern Sandwich, Moon Cheese and Pumpkin Chips"
First, let me settle your fears, no the chips aren't made of pumpkin. They are just plain old BBQ flavored potato chips, but calling them pumpkin chips made Emme more excited. I bought a 2 dollar pack of Halloween cookie cutters and Walmart and cut a moon shape out of Colby Jack cheese. I made a regular turkey sandwich and cut the pumpkin shape and then used small pieces of apple and cheese for the eyes, mouth, and nose. She ate it last because she loved looking at it. EASY!
Meal 2
"Scaredy Cat Sandwich, Apple Spears and Pumpkin Chips"
For Roslyn, I made an open faced turkey sandwich because I only give her one piece of bread. I used the scaredy cat cutter. I sliced some apples and spread some of Emme's leftover cheese edges from her moon shape as little decoration around her plate. Just put a few chips and voila, done. This one doesn't have so much of a theme as Emme's but Roslyn is only 1 and to her, I'm Picasso, baby.
So, that is it for this week. If you excuse me I have more important tasks I must attend to. Queue Mad Men!
For more ideas see what they ate: vol 1 and what they ate: vol 2.
Also, feel free to share your favorite fun with food site with me because I am always looking out for new ideas!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
sunday, sunday
What a great weekend. Lots of relaxing, a couple weird movies, errand running, and some good food. Now to end it with a little more good food...
"Grilled Salmon a la Me"
I love grilling fish in foil packets. While the red-meat carnivores in my life feast on grilled tri-tip, I opted for some lighter fare. I threw together a quick recipe of things I had on hand and BAM! That's all I can say.
In case you're wondering, this is what I did:
First, I took out enough foil to double over and have extra to seal off the top when it is ready to be cooked. I put some sesame oil down on the bottom and laid the salmon on its glorified death bed. I spread a little more sesame oil on top, followed by some soy sauce. I sliced a few lemon pieces and also squirted some on for good measure. I laid them on top, and also added a few small pieces of butter to go on top of the slices. I sprinkled a little black pepper, and finished with some fresh cilantro sprigs. I also had a bit of rice wine vinegar to spruce it up, but I'm just weird and it can easily be left out. I just sealed it all up on top and threw it on the grill, for about 20 minutes.
Awesome fish, hot rice, and a fresh salad. Great way to end the weekend.
I feel like sending myself a thank you card. Or at least a text.
Friday, October 7, 2011
what they ate: volume 2
Here's another look into a few easy lunch ideas for toddlers and kids.
The first recipe is basically one lunch, two different ways. The first is for older toddler and the second is for a younger toddler.
The first recipe is basically one lunch, two different ways. The first is for older toddler and the second is for a younger toddler.
Meal 1 : Version 1
"Heart Sandwich, Salad, and Strawberries"
Emme just about squealed when I set this pretty plate in front of her. This one is super easy. Just make a sandwich (I used turkey here) and use a large cookie cutter (the larger, the less bread you waste) to shape the sandwich. You might have to use a knife to make sure the edges are neat. I used a big cupcake paper for the salad and put a dab of Buttermilk Ranch dressing. I had a few strawberries, so I put a small amount of whipped cream and set the two strawberries in it. Done. She gobbled it up.
For the baby, I made a few changes. Here is what she had:
Meal 1: Version 2
"Heart Bread, Meat Rolls, and Strawberry Flower"
She was so anxious to eat this she was whining and crying while I took a picture. I used the same ingredients for this, I just left out the salad (no molars for Roslyn yet) and cut the strawberries. I still shaped her bread and put a little mayo for flavor. I used Iron Kids Bread, enriched with fiber and calcium so I didn't want her to miss out. I rolled two pieces of turkey and one of ham. I sliced the strawberry from the top, and assembled them around a small dab of whipped cream. She devoured it all.
Then came 2:30pm. Little Miss Luci came home from school, hungry as ever. I feel guilty when she has to miss out on fun food, because hey, she deserves some fun in her life too. I asked what she wanted and she said peanut butter and jelly, so I got to work on a variation for her.
Meal 2
"PB & J Heart, Banana Coins, and Dipping PB"
I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and used the same cutter. I sliced banana coins and made them look as pretty as possible. I put a few spoonfuls of peanut butter in a cupcake paper. That's it! She was speechless over something so simple.
It's amazing how special a meal can be when you put a little time and effort into creating something fun for them. These little girls all had huge smiles when they were eating and didn't even have to be asked to clean up their messes. Well, the baby threw her plate off the high chair. But at least she threw it toward the kitchen!
Check out the last What They Ate post for more ideas.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
things i'm doing this weekend
Come on, you care. First off, I had a good Friday night. Had some takeout food (no cooking or cleaning, yay!), played a nice little family game (I dominated), and had a chance to watch a chick-flick with my sweetheart, Roslyn, tucked under my wing while everyone else was sleeping soundly. Also, I tweeted the funniest tweet I'll probably ever tweet (say that 10 times fast). I've been feeling so productive lately, so I thought I'd keep up the self-motivation with a little list building exercise. If I post it here, it feels more concrete, you know. So, here goes. Today:
- Sewing lesson at 1pm with this lady.
- Stop at the store so I can make Knock You Naked Brownies.
- Get ready for mini-tapas game night party for friend's birthday at our house. I'm going to make these Garlicky Shrimp.
- Sleep in til at least 7am
- Eat donuts (plural)
- Complete thrift store frame project and blog about it
See, I won!
Sounds like a good weekend to me. Anyone else doing anything fun or exciting this weekend?
Saturday, September 24, 2011
what they ate
On some of the parenting boards I belong to, we often share ideas about new foods or recipes we make for our kids. I thought I'd share a few meals each week that my kids really enjoyed and that I didn't find too time consuming. These happened to be two lunch meals:
Meal 1
"Butterflies and Peas"
Emme responded more enthusiastically to the "Butterfly" rather than the "Bows" naming attempt. Probably explains why the little rascal will never leave the pretty bows in her hair that I've spent millions on. Well, not for more than 20 minutes, anyway.
To Make Pasta: Cook farfalle pasta according to package directions. After draining, toss with a little butter and parmesan cheese. Shouldn't need extra salt if you salted your boiling water right before you tossed in your pasta. It adds enough flavor to the pasta.
To Make Peas: Walk to freezer, pull out bag of frozen steamable peas. Walk to microwave, follow directions on package and come back when its ready. What could be easier? Hey, if you feel like shucking fresh peas from your glorious vegetable garden, have at it!
Assemble on the plate, and serve to happy children. :)
I wonder if a mouse would still eat Mickey Mouse shaped cheese. Hmm. This meal took me back to the days of Luci's first eating experiences. She loved all the tricks and fancy things I tried to do with her food. Not that I had to trick that girl into eating anything, but I had a lot of time on my hands with one child. These are super easy to make and fun if you find entertainment in these sorts of things.
To Make Pinwheels: (Sorry, should have taken a picture but it is not that difficult, I promise.) Get 3 pieces of white or wheat bread (I used Iron kids bread enriched with calcium and a few other goodies) and remove crust. Lay pieces next to each other and slightly overlap one edge with the next to create one long piece of bread. It helps if you flatten the bread with your palm. Apply condiment of choice, I chose mayo. Lay sandwich fixings inside such as turkey, extremely thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced or shredded cheese or whatever else you desire. *You can probably get away with small spinach leaves or rip the raw spinach leaves into tiny flecks (looks more decorative for them that way). You might be able to get away with that if your kids do not have chlorophobia. Then, take one end and slowly roll up toward the other end. You might have to kind of push down and compact the roll as you go, bc the bread doesn't always stick. (They won't care if they aren't perfect). Then, get an extremely sharp knife and slice pinwheels to desired size. You can even do this with peanut butter and jelly. Awesome go-to lunch. I find this discourages Emme from just eating the meat and leaving all her bread!
That's it. I just threw some fresh grapes and pre-cut cheese shapes on the plate and it transformed into something magical for them. You could use string cheese, any fruit or anything else your kids like. Also, except the cutting part, your kids might be able to help with the assembly and maybe even the rolling part if you are feeling extra fun that day.
Voila! Two meals, the first could easily be a dinner if you added something a little extra like chicken or something. Hope you try 'em!
To Make Peas: Walk to freezer, pull out bag of frozen steamable peas. Walk to microwave, follow directions on package and come back when its ready. What could be easier? Hey, if you feel like shucking fresh peas from your glorious vegetable garden, have at it!
Assemble on the plate, and serve to happy children. :)
Meal 2
"Pinwheels, Grapes and Mice"
I wonder if a mouse would still eat Mickey Mouse shaped cheese. Hmm. This meal took me back to the days of Luci's first eating experiences. She loved all the tricks and fancy things I tried to do with her food. Not that I had to trick that girl into eating anything, but I had a lot of time on my hands with one child. These are super easy to make and fun if you find entertainment in these sorts of things.
To Make Pinwheels: (Sorry, should have taken a picture but it is not that difficult, I promise.) Get 3 pieces of white or wheat bread (I used Iron kids bread enriched with calcium and a few other goodies) and remove crust. Lay pieces next to each other and slightly overlap one edge with the next to create one long piece of bread. It helps if you flatten the bread with your palm. Apply condiment of choice, I chose mayo. Lay sandwich fixings inside such as turkey, extremely thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced or shredded cheese or whatever else you desire. *You can probably get away with small spinach leaves or rip the raw spinach leaves into tiny flecks (looks more decorative for them that way). You might be able to get away with that if your kids do not have chlorophobia. Then, take one end and slowly roll up toward the other end. You might have to kind of push down and compact the roll as you go, bc the bread doesn't always stick. (They won't care if they aren't perfect). Then, get an extremely sharp knife and slice pinwheels to desired size. You can even do this with peanut butter and jelly. Awesome go-to lunch. I find this discourages Emme from just eating the meat and leaving all her bread!
That's it. I just threw some fresh grapes and pre-cut cheese shapes on the plate and it transformed into something magical for them. You could use string cheese, any fruit or anything else your kids like. Also, except the cutting part, your kids might be able to help with the assembly and maybe even the rolling part if you are feeling extra fun that day.
Voila! Two meals, the first could easily be a dinner if you added something a little extra like chicken or something. Hope you try 'em!
See how happy they were?
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